Plumber s ladle



(No Mqdel.)

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PNOTO-UMQWASHINGION. D (Iv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. CAHILL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PLUMBERS LADLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,085, dated March10, 1896.

Application filed March 18, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. CAHILL, of Chicago, Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Plumbers Ladles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a ladle such as is used by plumbers, and itsobject is to so construct the ladle that the bowl may be turned intovarious angular positions with reference to the handle, so as to adaptthe device to be used in situations where it could not otherwise beemployed.

To this end the invention consists in connecting the bowl to the handleby a universal joint in combination with means for securing it in theadjusted position, as hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing thehandle adjusted in various positions with reference to the bowl. Fig. 2is a perspective view showing the bowl in line with the handle. Fig. 3is a plan view showing the adjustable parts in planes at right angles toeach other.

In the drawings, A represents the bowl of the ladle having the usualmetal spouts a and an integral shank B terminating in a ball C, whichforms one member of a ball-and-socket joint.

D D represent the handle members, which are preferably composed ofsemicylindrical metal bars, preferably spring-steel, hollowed out ontheir flat faces, as indicated at d, to provide sockets to receive theball C. These handle members are secured with their flat faces togetherin a hand-piece E having a metal ferrule F. A sliding ring G is employedto clamp the handle members in order to fix the bowl in its adjustedposition.

As shown in Fig. 2, the bowl is in line with the handle or in theposition of an ordinary straight dipper. In Fig. 1 several positions areshown, the full lines showing the bowl swung around in a horizontalplane and at nearly right angles to the handle. In position shown by thedotted lines the handle Serial No. 542,078. (No model.)

stands in a plane at right angles to the mouth or opening of the bowl,in which position the ladle may be used in situations where it must belet down vertically into a small space. The same position is shown infull lines in Fig. 3.

Obviously the bowl may be placed in various other positions withreference to the handle, and thus the device can be readily adapted foruse in almost all situations which would be met with in practice.

IVhile I prefer the construction shown in the accompanying drawings,obviously there may be variations in the mechanical details as, forexample, the socket may be formed in the bowl or a shank thereof and theball connected with the handle. The sliding ring is a convenient meansfor clamping the parts in an adjusted position; but obviously also asetscrew or other means may be employed.

Without limiting myself, therefore, to these precise details ofconstruction, I claim 1. A plumbers ladle comprising in combination abowl having a shank provided with a ball and a handle composed of tworesilient members having flat faces and provided with sockets in saidfaces to receive the ball, an end piece inclosing the extremities ofsaid handle members and means for clamping and binding the handlemembers together, substantially as described.

2. In a plumbers ladle, the combination of a bowl having an integralshank terminating in a ball, a handle composed of two resilient memberssemicylindrical in form and provided in their fiat faces with cavitiesto afford sockets, a sliding clamp adapted to encircle the handlemembers and to be moved longitudinally thereon whereby to tighten themon the ball, and a handpieoe inclosing the extremities of said handlemembers, substantially as described.

THOMAS J. OAHILL. Witnesses:

O. O. LINTHIOUM, FREDERICK O. Goonwnv.

